Rolling mill



NOV. 20, 1934. R SHOVER 1,981,078

' ROLLING MILL Filed Aug. 7. 1931 3 Sheets-Sheet l fiim I INVENTOR NOV. 20, 1934. i R SHQVER 1,981,078

ROLLING MILL Filed Aug. 7, 1951 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 B. R. SHOVER Nov. 20, 1934.

ROLLING MILL 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Aug. 7. 1931 INVENTOR Patented Nov. 20, 1934 UNETED PATENT QFFICE 8 Claims.

My invention relates to rolling mills and, in particular, to a construction permitting the use of anti-friction bearings in connection with two or three-high mills.

While the desirability of anti-friction bearings as a means for reducing the power input to a rolling rnill has already been recognized, it has been thought heretofore that the large size of bearings necessarily employed to handle large rolling pressures would prevent the application of such bearings to two-high and three-high mills because the diameter of the bearings exceeded the diameter of the body of the roll. While a reduction in the diameter of the roll neck might have been resorted Ell mill art, probably well founded, against any reduction in the neck diameter from certain standards now well accepted. It is an object of this invention, therefore, to make the advantages of anti-friction bearings available in the construction of two-high and three-high mills without requiring any reduction in the neck diameter.

In accordance with the invention, I construct a two-high mill comprising housings of practically standard design with the exception that coaxial anti-friction bearings are provided for the top roll. Adjacent the bottom of the housing windows, 1 position bearing boxes for receiving a pair of antirriction bearings having their axes oflset laterally and vertically from the axis of the bottom roll. The necks of both rolls are provided with hardened sleeves for cooperation with the anti-friction bearings. The top roll in a two-high mill is, therefore, positioned by an anti-friction bearing m at each end thereof, while the bottom roll is positioned by a pair of anti-friction bearings at each end thereof, each bearing being offset as beforementioned. This arrangement of the bearings in a two-high mill avoids interference, without rem neck.

in three-lugh mills, I utilize the offset antifriction bearings for both the top and bottom rolls. The central idler roll may have anti-friction bear- {5 ings coaxial therewith, one hearing at each end of the roll.

For a complete understanding of the invention, reference is made to the accompanying drawings, illustrating a present preferred embodiment of the invention.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is an end elevation of a two-high mill in which the invention is embodied;

Figure 2 is a sectional view along the line 11-11 of Figure 1;

to, there is a strong prejudice in the rolling quiring areduction in the diameter of the roll Figure 3 is a partial sectional view to an enlarged scale, taken through the axis of one of the rolls; and

Figure 4 is an end elevation similar to Figure 1, showing the invention incorporated in a three-. 0 high mill.

Referring now in detail to the drawings and, in particular, to Figures 1 through 3, a rolling mill according to the present invention comprises a pair of housings 10' similar, in general, 5 to the standard design with certain exceptions which will be pointed out hereinafter. The win dow openings in the housings are indicated at 11. Bearing boxes 12 are slidably mounted within the window openings 11 on guides 13. Anti- 7o friction bearings 14, carried by the bearing boxes 12, cooperate with the necks of a top roll 15 of the mill. The usual screwdowns 16 are employed for applying pressure to the roll 15.

At the bottom of the window openings 11 in 75 the housings 10, hearing boxes 17 and 1'7 are positioned. Each bearing box is adapted to receive an anti-friction bearing 18 and 19. Each anti-friction bearing comprises a pin 20 secured in the bearing box, a plurality of anti-friction so rollers 21 and an external ring 22.

A bottom roll "23 of the mill is similar to the top roll 15. Bothdahe top and bottom rolls are provided with hardened sleeves 24 and 25, respectively. The sleeve 25 engages anti-friction rolls 26 in an outer ring or raceway 27, forming part of the anti-friction bearing 14. The sleeve 2i is supported by the rings 22 forming parts of the bearings 18 and 19. The pins 20, which also constitute parts of the bees 18 and 19, are hardened steel. The roll 23 is confined laterally between plates 28, adjustably secured to the roll housings.

Figure 4 illustrates the invention incorporated in a three-high mill. In this construction, the mounting of the bottom roll and its bearings is similar to that shown in Figure 1.' The bearings for the top roll are shown mounted in one bearing box, but they may also be mounted in separate bearing boxes, in which case, preferably, a separate housing screw for each box is provided. The bearings for the bottom roll may be mounted in one 'box for either two-high or three-high mills if so desired. As shownin Fi are 4, the top roll '29 is provided with a pair of anti-friction bearings 30 and 31 at each end of the roll. These bearings are similar to those shown at 18 and 19 in Figure 1 and cooperate with a hardened sleeve 32 on the neck of the no roll 29, as already described. The roll 29 is confined laterally by adjustable plates 33.

An idler roll 34 is positioned between the top and bottom rolls 29 and 23. This roll may be.

journaled in anti-friction bearings, shown partly broken away in Figure 4, for cleamess, supported from the housing by any convenient structure (not shown). Since the anti-friction bearings for the top and bottom rolls are offset above and below the axes of said rolls, ample room is afforded for axial anti-friction bearings for the idler roll 34, as in the modification shown in Figure 1. The roll 34 may, of course, be driven instead of being an idler.

It will be apparent that the constructions described have numerous advantages over the previous method of mounting rolls in two-high and three-high mills. Obviously, the use of antifriction bearings greatly reduces the power input to the mills. It is not necessary, according to this invention, to reduce the diameter of the roll necks in order to take advantage of this reduction in power input. On the other hand, rolls having necks of standard sizes may be provided with anti-friction bearings, as disclosed herein, with all the advantages resulting therefrom. Since the anti-friction bearings for one or two rolls in a two-high or three-high mill are offset vertically and laterally with respect to the axis of the roll which they support, there is plenty of room for coaxial anti-friction hearings on the other roll. Not only is it unnecessary to decrease the diameter of the roll necks with the present invention, it is also unnecessary to increase the diameter of the body of the roll. The invention, therefore, provides means for utilizing anti-friction bearings in connection with standard roll designs. The use of the hardened steel sleeve on the roll necks increases the strength of the latter so that the roll is able to exert greater pressure than when mounted in the ordinary type of bearing.

Although I have described and illustrated herein but two forms of the invention, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that many changes in the modifications described may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a two-high mill, the combination with atop roll having an axial anti-friction bearing for supporting each end thereof, and a bottom roll having a pair of anti-friction bearings offset laterally and vertically from the axis of the roll for supporting each end thereof.

2. In a rolling mill, a roll, and a plurality of anti-friction bearings at each end of the roll having their axes ofiaet laterally and vertically from that of the roll, and a second roll having a coaxial anti-friction bearing at each end thereof said last-mentioned bearings with accessories being greater in diameter than said second roll.

3. Int a three-high mill, the combination with top and bottom rolls having a middle roll therebetween, of a pair of anti-friction bearings for each neck of said top and bottom rolls, ofiset laterally and vertically from the axes of said rolls, and a standard anti-friction bearing for each neck of the middle roll.

4. In a three-high mill, top and bottom rolls and a roll therebetween, said top and bottom rolls having necks at each end thereof, a pair of anti-friction bearings offset laterally and vertically from the axes of saidtop and bottom rolls engaging each of said necks for exclusively sustaining the pressure exerted by the rolls, and co-axial anti-friction bearings for the middle roll.

5. In a rolling mill, top and bottom rolls, necks on said rolls for sustaining the entire working stress on the rolls, a pair of offset anti-friction bearings at each end of the bottom roll for supporting necks thereof, and an axial anti-friction bearing on the necks of said top roll said lastmentioned bearing with accessories being greater in diameter than said top roll.

6. In a rolling mill, top and bottom rolls, necks on each of said rolls constituting the sole means for sustaining the working pressure on said rolls, a co-axial anti-friction bearing of larger diameter, with accessories, than the top roll, at each end thereof, and a pair of anti-friction bearings for each neck of the bottom roll, the bearings of both said pairs being located on opposite sides of the roll axis to withstand lateral force on the bottom roll.

7. In a rolling mill, at least two working rolls,

a pair of anti-friction bearings offset vertically ly and vertically from the axis of the lower roll.

BARTON R. SHOVER. 

